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Projects & Partners

We are proud of the success of our clients and partners who share our commitment to quality, sustainability and social responsibility. Together, we deliver the best tasting beans and leaves from around the world, help create prosperity in emerging economies and support local communities. These are partnerships based on mutual respect developed over many years of working together. Check back for periodic updates on our new initiatives:

Micro-Loans

Micro-credit is a proven method by which funds remain in the borrower’s community to generate additional micro-loans and further improve the community’s economic health. Our initial projects will be in Nicaragua and Guatemala. We are partnering with Aldea Global, a micro-trust entity that will handle administrative and logistical tasks and provide interpretive and liaison personnel.

Equator provides micro-loan programs to support local farmer efforts to batch taste and control quality on site. These initiatives benefit the business by securing the bean pipeline and assuring the highest quality products. Equator also pays a higher premium than most mass retailers will pay.

Our initial projects will be:

A micro-loan of $3000 will be used to build a small centralized wet mill, the remaining $1500 will be used to purchase drying screens and reparation of depulpers used to separate the cherry from the bean.

Invest $3,500 to build a cupping lab on a Guatemalan farm, Finca Chipacay. With the donation of a small roaster and cupping tools, along with education and training the farmers can evaluate their own coffee and promote quality.

Panamanian Farm

In October of 2007, Equator Coffees purchased a Panamanian Coffee farm in Cerro Punta to fulfill a dream of owning a coffee farm and deepening its long-held commitment to sustainability.

Charitable Contributions

Helen Russell and Equator Coffees & Teas are a tremendous example of what it means to be a responsible corporate citizen. They have supported our work in helping low-income immigrant women to become entrepreneurs and establish successful livelihoods for the past 4 years. They have donated coffee for our events and have also provided investment funds to our entrepreneurs. Helen has also shared her wisdom and experience of starting her business with our women by being a guest speaker in our classes. Thank you Helen and Equator for your support of C.E.O. Women!

Farhana Huq - Founder and CEO, C.E.O. Women

Equator Coffees have been amazing supporters of La Cocina, since its inception. They have provided us with their excellent coffee at discounted prices, given tours to low-income women from interested in opening their own coffee stands, and connected us with their broad network of food industry professionals. They went the extra mile for one of our participants, by helping her open a coffee shop stand at Alemany farmer’s market, training her to make specialty coffees, donating some equipment to her, and helping her to choose the best products.